I’m sure that the pending visit of Will & Kate to our fair city was not in small part responsible for the decision to move Canada Day festivities to Victoria Park instead of Confederation Landing. And undoubtedly our taxpayers are paying generously to have both events bestowed upon us. But our Canada Day trek downtown is a looked-forward-to tradition in our year, and I think this year it lasted about 30 minutes.

I expected amazing sand castles:

from Canada Day 2007

I expected a little fun something for my kids:

from Canada Day 2007

Frankly, I was disappointed this year. Yes, yes, there was still cotton candy, but even that was not enough to sooth my expectant soul. Even food vendors were set up in some weird system where first you had to pay real money to buy fake money to buy food. Vendors didn’t accept real money. And don’t get me started on the free fake tattoos. Yes, they were there… but I heard them tell kids that they had to go find some water to put them on themselves. Seriously? This is not the exemplary service I have come to expect from the volunteers in the Cradle of Confederation.

Now… as I am preparing to leave I am feeling somewhat let down because I had to admit that this event was to be my substitute for not being able to see Will & Kate. (I would go see them except for the pesky little working for a living thing. And my aversion to crowds.) My long weekend, it would seem, would be both without fanfare and celebrity. Until…. I saw him…. celebrity in a unitard…

Spiderman…

Me: OMG! It’s Spiderman! I am walking among famous people! This day is great!

Rainbow: Um… that is not the real Spiderman.

Me: How do you know that? For certain?

Rainbow: You can see his underwear.

Me: The real Spiderman probably wears underwear.

Rainbow: And he doesn’t have web shooter things.

Me: Oh, he might. Maybe he doesn’t want to show off. Or maybe they’re malfunctioning.
Rainbow: And he is sweating. Really bad.
Me: Well maybe those spidey suits don’t breathe.

So… the jury is out. Either my weekend was with celebrity or it wasn’t. But maybe it was. Maybe.